Mary's Story
by Lady of Fantasy
Summary: Mary finally gets her story told.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey guys. I just think Mary Bennet deserves some love too.**

It had been three years. Three years since Elizabeth had become Elizabeth Darcey. Three and a half years since Jane had become Jane Bingly. Four years since Lydia had become Lydia Wickam. Two years

since Kitty became Kitty Peterson. Three years and 2 months since Mary Marie Bennett's sixteenth birthday.

Mary Bennett was now nineteen. She was obviously more beautiful than she had been at sixteen. Many men she had known her whole life now courted her, but she refused all. She didn't think it was fair

they cared nothing of sixteen year old Mary, but they would buy nineteen year old Mary a diamond ring without hesitation.

Mary was the youngest of the Bennett girls, but she was also the strongest and the bravest.

Mary had never been like the other of her sisters. She was labled as the odd child. She was not as the marvelous Jane. She was not as intelectual as Elizabeth. She wasn't as silly and giggly as Lydia or Kitty.

She was Mary. She was stubborn and a bookwrorm and a piano lover. She was herself.

Mary was the only of the Bennett girls to still live with her parents. Her mother tired to get her to marry one of the fine gentlemen, but her father did not care. For that reason, she loved her father.

Mary stood in an elegant white dress in the middle of the Darcy ballroom. She had only resently gotten the dress as a gift from Elizabeth as a birthday gift.

Mary was surrounded by strangers who were all much richer than herself. Yet, through the crowd of people, one young man constantly caught her eye. It was a young man dressed in a blue coat with elegant silver

buttons.

"Like him,"Mary jumped as a female voice came from nowhere.

"Honestly, Lizzy, you must worn me that you are near."

Her old sister giggled,"Oh, honestly Mary. Lighten up a bit."

Mary smiled at her sister,"Is this better."

"Much."

"Excuse me,ladies,"came a masculine voice from behind Mary.

"Hello, ,"Mary said, bowing to her brother-in-law.

"Hello. Ms. Mary"-he turned and smiled at Lizzy-"Mrs. Darcy."

Lizzy smiled warmly at her husband,"And how may we help you, Mr. Darcy?"

"I would like you both to come and meet a good friend of mine."

Mary and Lizzy smiled and nodded. They followed Fitzwilliam and Mary found herself infront of the man who constantly caught her eye.

"Mary, Lizzy, I would like to introduce to you both Porter."

The man turned around and Mary was blown away by his handsomeness. He had black waves upon his head, the darkest grey eyes, and lips that seemed as soft as the fresh fallen snow.

He looked Mary up and down once with a bored and unimpressed expression. Then he turned to Fitzwilliam and Lizzy,"Fitzwilliam, I suppose this is your lovely wife and her sister."

Fitzwilliam nodded,"Yes, and I would really like you to get to know Ms. Mary. She is-"

"Honestly, Fitzwilliam. If I was interested in Ms. Mary Bennett before, I would have shown it. I am not a fan of the game of set up,"said Hanry, and he turned and walked to the piano. He sat down nd startyed playing Mry's favorite

piece.

Mary sat down, stunned and hurt. She was hurt for the first time in two years, that was what amazed her the most.

Lizzy sat down, comforting Mary as Fitzwilliam went and fussed at Henry about how 'it was not the way you treated a lady'.

Henry just strugged, but he watched the weeping girl with remorse.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey, I am very grateful to my first three reviewers. They were very kind. So since you all seem to like this story, I have been encouraged to write a second chapter.**

Mary had finally stopped crying and Lizzy had walked off to speak to other guests. Mary listened as Henry played the piano with graceful, experienced hands.

Mary got up suddenly. She walked over to the young man playing the grand piano.

She tapped him on the shoulder. He turned to face her,"May I help you Ms. Bennet?"

Mary hesitated and then made her voice as cold as the air of the mountains in winter,"Yes, sir. I was wondering if you would _be so kind_ as to allow another person play."

Henry just smirked at the young lady,"And why, my dear lady, would I do that? Obviously, no one else seems to mind that I am the only player."

Mary narrowed her eyes,"Would you to make room in that big head of yours, you would see that _I_ would much enjoy to play on the piano."

Henry chuckled,"Why do we not play together?"

Mary blush as Henry made room for her to sit. She hesitantly slid onto the piano chair and catiously placed her hands on the keys, allowing her fingers to move along with his. They

made a harmonic sound as their fingers danced together.

Suddenly. Mary heard Henry laughed. She stopped playing and looked at him in confusion.

"Why do you laugh? Is it that you think so low of me that you believe even my piano skills are unfathomable?"she asked.

Henry smiled, eyes shining brightly,"I just find it amusing how you forgive so quickly."

Mary sucked in her breath. He was right. She usually held grudges for life, but in his case, it had taken fifteen minutes to get over his hateful words.

Mary just shook her head and stood up,"Well forgive me, Mr. Porter, for not holding a grudge over first impressions."

Mary walked away, leaving Henry to stair after her.

Mary went up to her life long best friend, John Andrews.

"Hello, Jo."

John looked up and smiled Mary,"Hello, Mare."

Mary giigled,"How are you. I have not seen you since last February?"

"Oh. Father has found me an intern job as a forger. I have been in Forntown,"said John.

"Well I was worried. You sent no letters and I feared the worst,"said Mary.

"Oh, my poor Nightmare wwas fearful for dear old John."

Mary giggled at John's childhood nickname for her,"My dear John, how could you expect me not to? So did you meet a kind woman that you wish to woo?"

John suddenly became serious,"Um, actually, yes. I did in fact."

"Well, that is great, John. What is her name?"

"Martha Yunt."

"Well I hope to meet her some day,"said Mary, smiling.

John looked at her with joy in his eyes,"I hope you do as well."

Mary smiled and laughed as two more men from her childhood, Edward Turner and William Jordan, came and spoke to the two.

Little did Mary know, though, that Henry Porter was glaring at the three young men behind her back. And that a very complicated life was put in front of her for the next year.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey you guys. I wanted to thank you guys for alkl the reviews. And im really sorry for the mistakes in the story. Ive been**

**trying to figure out how to swap documents on this account so there are no mistakes but i dont know how. But since you **

**guys seem to love this story, heres chapter 3.**

Mary was happy to be back home. She lied on her bed, reading a book she had read a million times.

She suddenly heard a knock on the door.

Mary placed her book on the bedside table and went to fetch the door.

She opened up the door to reveal, to Mary's surprise, Henry Porter.

Mary looked at him for a moment. He looked tired, sleepless. He had almost translucent skin under his eyes and his close were

stained with mud.

"Mr. Porter, please come inside. I was not expecting you,"said Mary, remembering how to act to men of noble class.

Henry nodded and walked inside the cottage. He seated himself on the cream colored, silk couch.

There was an awkward silence between the two as Mary sat down beside him.

Henry seemed almost in a hurry, yet he was going nowhere.

"Mr. Porter, would you like some tea?" she asked.

Henry cleared his throat,"Um, yes. That would be kind."

Mary nodded and rang for Harriet, one of their cooks.

A girl with blonde hair and brown eyes entered,"Yes, miss?"

"Harriet, would you please fetch Mr. Porter and I some tea?"

"'Course, miss."

"Thank you."

Henry looked at her like she had gone mad,"Why do you treat your servants so kindly?"

Mary quickly made a comeback,"Why do you wish to treat them cruely?"

"I never said I did."

"Well if you don't, then do not assume I do any different."

Henry made a silent laugh,"You really are a different one, aren't you, Miss Bennet?"

Mary frowned at this. BVlandly she said,"So I've been told."

Henry looked at her,"I did not mean it in a cold way, Miss Bennet."

"Of course not. Like I am to believe that you have changed since the party at my dear sister's home."

"Mary, I have changed since then, but not in the way you think."

"Right,"said Mary, rolling her eyes."Please, Mr. Porter. Will you just leave my home. Out of kindness."

Henry slowly nodded and then set a letter on the table beside the couch,"I had come to bring this to you."

Mary turned away. Moments later, she heard the door slam shut.

Then, Harriet entered the room,"Tea, miss?"

And Mary broke into tears.

**Okay, wow. That must have been pretty awkward for Harriet, huh? Well tell me what you think in a review please.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey sorry I haven't updated in a while. I was in Arizona.**

Mary quickly wiped her tears and took the letter.

_Dear Miss Mary Bennet,_

_I have rescently forseen how cruel I was to you on the night of our meeting. I am terribly sorry for such acts. You angered me that night with your stubborness and quick wits. Never has any young woman spoken to me with such defience. It both angered and pleased me. Such emotions were awfully strange. You made me lose every control I had, and for that I hated you, yet you made me wish you around, and for that I loved you. It is strange to love the one you hate, and so I tried to ignore it. However when three weeks had passed since our first and only incounter, I lost it. I had to see you, so I wrote this letter to explain everything. I came to your home, hoping to miss you so I would not have to see the hate in your eyes._

_Please forget all hateful things,_

_Henry J. Porter_

Mary reread the letter over and over.

Finally, a man who fit in the books. A man of hate and love. A man who could challenge her. A man who wanted her for her soul and wits, not just her beauty. Finally a man who might actually _love_ her.

The other men had only wanted her for her beauty and her family's honorable reputation. Henry wanted herr for _who_ she was, not _what _she was.

She loved him, and she had to go after him. She suddenly realized she had broken his heart as much as he had broken hers.

Mary quickly ran to one of the servants,"Louise, please get Thomas to ready the carriage. I will be traveling to Porter Mansion in the morning."

The servant bowed,"Of course, miss."

Mary quickly readied for bed. She barely slept that night. She was anxious.

She woke in the morning and quickly got dressed. Once her dress and shoes were on, she put on her bonnet and grey cloak.

She rushed out ofd her room and to the front field where she found the family carriage waiting, along with Thomas holding the reins, and another servant, Joshua, as the footman.

Joshua helped her into the carriage and she jumped as she saw John sitting on the carriage bench.

"John, what are you doing in here?"asked Mary in surprise.

"A servant of yours sent a message to one of mine that you were leaving for Porter Mansion in the morning. So you are?" John seemed mad.

Mary hesitated,"I- um, yes, I am."

"Well I couldn't let you leave. I hurried here in the middle of the night. I had hoped to speak to you last night, but the servants said you were asleep," he said.

Mary stared at him as she sat down beside him,"John, why did you not want me to leave for Porter Mansion?"

John sighed,"Because, my dear, sweet Mary. I love you. I could not let you go and marry someone else."

Mary stared at him with wide eyes,"W-what? But what a-about M-Martha Yunt?"

John sighed again and with a pained chuckle he said,"There is no Martha Yunt. Martha Yunt is the name of a baker I met in Forntown. I was rather hoping I could make you jealous if I created a story of me falling in love with someone other than you."

The carriage started moving and Mary felt trapped. Trapped with someone she only half loved.

Mary sat silent, stunned by what her childhood friend had just said.

John looked up at her,"Mary... please say something."

Mary looked at John with a pained expression,"John, what d-do yoou expe-ect me to say. I-I love y-you and I lo-ove him."

John shook his head,"I'm sorry, Mary. Perhaps I shouldn't have said anything."

"No, John. I'm glad you did. With your confession, I realized that I love you as much as I love him."

John grabbed her hand,"Mary, please choose me. We have history. We have common interest. We have everything and more. We make sense. Mr. Porter and you don't."

Mary took her hand away,"Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy didn't make sense either, and their happily married."

"Perhaps, but look at Jane and Mr. Bengly, your mother and father, Lydia and Mr. Wickam, Kitty and Mr. Peterson, William and Henrietta, or Edward and Rosalina. A relationship that does not make sense works out perhaps one in a million times. Relationships that do make sense, like ours, happen more often and are often much happier,"John stated.

"Perhaps you are right John, but love does not care what makes sense or not. It does what it wishes."Mary said.

John frowned and his eyebrows furrowed,"Then perhaps you shoould figure out wether your love lies with sense or nonsense."

Mary felt tears start to swell,"Perhaps you're right."

The rest of the ride was silent.


End file.
